The present invention relates to an article for the storage and transport of clothing garments, and more particularly to the storage and transport to an item of pleated clothing, such as a kilt. The invention may, of course, have other related applications.
Garment carriers for storage and transportation of items of clothing, such as suits and dresses, are well known. These often comprise a soft-sided oblong bag, typically corresponding in size to that of the garment to be stored, such as a suit. The bag includes a loop, or similar means, to co-operate with a clothes hanger, such that the garment is placed within the bag, whilst on its hanger, and held in place within the confines of the bag.
The carrier itself is often provided with an external hook, such that the entire carrier may be hung in a wardrobe for storage purposes. When the garment is to be transported, the carrier is designed to be folded in half, in order that the height of the bag is more convenient for a person to carry.
One source of creasing of clothing whilst in transit is that the user has packed the garment carelessly. Therefore in order to reduce creasing as a result of how the item is placed within a the carrier, the garment carrier must be straightforward and easy to use.
It has also been found that if an item of clothing is not held securely and snugly in place within its carrier, then there is a tendency for it to shift about in transit. It is this movement which results in creasing by the time the garment arrives at its destination.
Furthermore, there is a tendency for a garment carrier which is made of a soft flexible material to flex and bend itself during transit, which in turn leads to creasing and wrinkling of the garment inside. This does not occur in solid-walled constructions, such as conventional suit cases. This disadvantage has been accepted as inevitable, if the advantages of a light overall weight and lower cost of manufacture are to be obtained.
A particular need exists for a garment carrier which is suitable for transport and/or storage of pleated garments, such as a kilt. The storage of a kilt presents particular problems because of the need to maintain the large number of pleats in a pristine and uncreased condition.
Presently, kilts are either stored in conventional garment carriers, intended for suits or jackets, which are bulky, usually the wrong size for the garment, and suffer from the other disadvantages outlined above.
In a prior proposal for a kilt carrier, the kilt is first folded in half, with the fold running along the length of the garment, and then placed flat within an elongate carrying case. A number of buckled straps are provided to correctly locate the garment within the carrier. In order to prevent shifting of the garment whilst in transit, the straps must be fastened tightly, which may itself lead to creasing of the garment in the vicinity of the straps.